时文阅读与练习14-2025届高三英语上学期一轮专题复习.docx

时文阅读与练习14

寻矿之旅

在加利福尼亚州科林加的深山中，人们可以挖掘到地球上最稀有的宝石。

1DeepinthehillsofCoalinga，California，membersofthepubliccandigforbenitoite，therarestgem（宝石）onEarth.TheBenitoiteMiningCompanytransportsdirtdirectlyfromahiddenminetoanemptyfieldonthesiteofwhatwasonceaprison.

2Benitoiteismadeofabluecoloredcrystal（水晶）.Underashortwaveultraviolet（UV）light，thegemproducesabrightbluetobluishwhite.Thatisthechiefwaycollectorscanidentify（鉴别）it.Themineralcanbevisuallyidentifiedbyitsglassy，bluecoloranddoubletriangle（三角形）shape.

3Visitorstothesitearegivenaquartsizebagforthetreasurestheyfindthroughouttheday.“Itpaidoffattheendofthedaywithsomebeautifulrocksandsmallgems，”saidKeriBean，arockenthusiastfromPasadena.

4JamesM.Couchdiscoveredbenitoitemorethanacenturyago，in1906.Hethoughthehadfoundsapphires（蓝宝石）.However，JohnSchreiner，thecorneroftheBenitoiteMiningCompany，explainedthatthediscoverywasactually“anewgemstonethathadneverbeenfoundbefore”.

5“Manypeoplewhocometodigknowverylittleaboutthegemstone，”Schreinersaid.Thecompanyemploys（雇用）asmallteamofworkerswhomineduringtheweek.Thegemstheyfindarecutandsoldforjewelry.Benitoiteiscurrentlyvaluedatabout$4，000percarat（克拉）.

6EverySaturday，from9amto3pm，visitorsarewelcomedtoenjoyaminingexperience.Uponarrivalatthecamp，visitorsaregreetedbyastaffmemberwhoconductsabrieftourofthehistoricprison.Atthepilesofdirt，visitorsareshownhowtodig，wash，andidentifygems.“Thehardestpartwassifting（筛分）therocksoutofthedirt，”Beansaid.Aftertherocksarethoroughlycleanedinthreewashbins，theyarereadyforsorting.TworoomsaresetupwithshortwaveUVlightstations，andthescreenofcleanmaterialsisplacedunderthelight.Therocksthatglow（发光）arebenitoite.

1.Howcancollectorsidentifybenito